Nahanni Fontaine facts for kids

Nahanni Fontaine, born in 1971, is a Canadian politician. She is a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (MLA). This means she is elected to represent a part of Manitoba in the provincial government. She represents the area called St. Johns.

She was first elected in 2016 and then again in 2019. She is part of the New Democratic Party (NDP). Before her, Gord Mackintosh held the seat but decided not to run again.

Nahanni Fontaine was interviewed for a TV show called Taken. This show is about missing and murdered Indigenous women. She shares a last name with Tina Fontaine, who was featured in an episode. However, they are not related.

In March 2021, Nahanni Fontaine was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly for a day. This happened after she said that the Progressive Conservatives did not care enough about missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people.

In June 2025, an incident involving Nahanni Fontaine and an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter happened. She is the minister responsible for accessibility. After a graduation ceremony, her microphone was still on. She was heard talking about an ASL interpreter. She mentioned feeling distracted because the interpreter was on stage. She also described the interpreter's movements as "frantic."

Early Life and Education

Nahanni Fontaine was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She grew up in the Point Douglas area of the city. She is a member of the Sagkeeng First Nation.

She studied at the University of Winnipeg. There, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in environmental development. Later, she went to the University of Manitoba. She completed a Master of Arts degree in native studies.

Family and Connections

Nahanni Fontaine has family ties to the arts. She is the niece of the well-known musician Vince Fontaine.

Awards and Recognition

Nahanni Fontaine has received important awards for her work. In 2013, she was given the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case. This award recognizes people who have worked to advance gender equality in Canada.

Electoral Results

This section shows how Nahanni Fontaine performed in past elections.